Air Filters

Your air filter of your vehicle - be it car, truck of sports utility vehicle is one of the most overworked yet under appreciated components of the daily functioning and maintenance schedules of most automobile owners and drivers. Your air filter works tireless under your hood both straining the air to remove particulate matter so that your engine functions efficiently and effectively while giving you as a driver a good mixture of performance and fuel economy. On top of that the air filter or filters of your vehicle function to protect your engine from damaging particles and abrasive particulates which can well do your engine serious mechanical harm. Yet most automotive owners seldom give their air filter a moments' neither notice nor time of day when it comes to maintenance and service schedules.

Yet few motorists give their air cleaner a moments notice - that is until their "check engine "light comes on or gas mileage has fallen below par. Then again most people seldom check their vacuum cleaner dust bags as well for replacement when full of dust until the filters inside are chock full of sediment and debris.

Your automobiles' air filter element is usually changed whenever your engine is tuned up - or at least that is the time period for auto filter inspection, cleaning or replacement that most major auto and truck manufacturers and makers recommend as a maintenance schedule. On top of that most auto makers recommend changing this filter element more frequently if you operate your vehicle under dirty or dusty conditions. This is often referred to in the auto trades and auto maintenance trades as "Severe Service Schedules".

A dirty automotive engine air filter restricts to the engine and increases fuel consumption. The converse is that you get lower and poorer gas mileage and your transportation budget - well at least the part devoted to gasoline or diesel fuels - goes up.

Essentially a clogged or somewhat dirty filter will restrict air flow into your engine. Consequently your engine will pull more fuel into it rather than gas. On top of that it is not only a case of more costly fuel use, and lower mpg miles per a gallon, drivers overall will get very poor engine performance and acceleration overall. It serves as the worst of both worlds if you do not avoid attention to detail in regards to inspection and service of your automobiles' air filter. Poor gas mileage, additional needless fuel costs and poor engine and driving performance.

Either way professional auto mechanics or dealership factory trained service writers advise that is a very good idea and practice to check your engines air filter at least every 3000 to 4000 miles (approximately 5,000 to 6,000 km for motorists and car owners in Canada & Mexico)

Some motorist though make it a practice - just like airplane mechanics change parts and components on a time planned schedule to replace their air filter on regular time schedule like clockwork. Regardless of your mechanical components service schedule preferences attending to your automotive air filter on a regular and ongoing basis is both a wise and thrifty practice for automobile owners.